Ex-flight attendant reveals horror tales

Ever wondered what goes on behind the 'glamorous' job of an air stewardess? Here's the dirty truth.
Horror tales from a former flight attendant

Former flight attendant-turned-writer, Yvonne Lee, reveals the dirty truth behind ‘flying the friendly skies’.
“Your senior would force you to smoke, drink and even sleep with them. If you didn’t comply, they would make your life hell.”

“A colleague of mine was terrified because the head steward wouldn’t stop knocking on her hotel door in the middle of the night. When she didn’t respond, he taunted her in front of everyone the next morning. It got so bad that she cried every single day.”

“She felt dirty every time she put on her uniform so she quit her job.”

These are just some examples of the many traumatic experiences female flight attendants have suffered in their line of work.

In a newly published book, a flight-attendant-turned-writer recounts her own air horror tales with a liberal dose of humour, even though things were far from funny back then. And the title doesn’t get any more appropriate — Madness Aboard! Welcome to Plane Insanity.

“It (sexual harassment) was so prevalent that you can ask any stewardess who worked at the time and they will tell you the same stories,” says 40-year-old Yvonne Lee, who left the aviation industry in 1995 after six years.

She tells Malaysian daily The Star of how a chief steward called “Joe Square Jaw” had attempted to make a move on her in the cargo hold.

“I felt a strange erected pressure against the small of my back. If I remember correctly, it was the same kind of pressure I had felt when I was among the sardine-packed commuters on a bullet train in Tokyo,” wrote Lee.

“Some Japanese pervert had jacked up against my butt. Then it quickly occurred to me that this was no bullet train but a deserted cargo hold where only one other person existed! Joe Square Jaw!”

Insanity indeed.

A UK report entitled ‘Sexual harassment culture shatters illusion of high life‘ shows that in a survey of 2,000 women who worked for a national airline, more than one in five said they had suffered sexual harassment from passengers.

Apparently, male members of the crew pose an even greater threat. Almost half of the women said they had had to put up with offensive remarks or lewd behaviour by colleagues or superiors.

And the easiest prey? “Rookie stewardesses,” as Lee calls it.

“It was as if it was a time before modern civilisation and the stewardesses were viewed like cattle stock. Whether pilots, stewards or passengers, they ogled at a newbie like she was a walking piece of prime steak, a Chateaubriand with a chignon and in heels…. It was demeaning.”

So why do flight attendants make such appealing targets for sexual harassment?

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) points the finger at advertising.

“There’s not an airline out there that hasn’t at some time sought to exploit the notion that air travel includes being served by a physically attractive hostess,” states the ITF report.

The Star gave the example of Singapore International Airlines (SIA)’s “Singapore Girls” — so famous that a reproduction of “the girl” became the first commercial icon to be placed in Madame Tussaud‘s waxworks museum in London in 1993.

“Gorgeous air stewardesses…I think a majority of passengers have come to expect that,” agrees flight attendant Max Foo, 26. “In fact, I have friends who said they preferred Asian airlines compared to Western ones because the latter were full of old, matronly women.”

Fussy much? Try the demanding male passengers, or those who had a little too much to drink, or both.

“A male passenger touched my behind. I told him, you do that again and I will slap you,” says a stewardess in a report complied by the ITF.

“I asked the other passengers to be my witness to his behaviour and, in the end, I had to slap him. Of course, sometimes you’re afraid you might lose your job.”

Says senior flight attendant Annie Teo, 46, “It’s as if normal rules don’t apply when you’re 40,000ft (12,192m) in the air. This problem is further exacerbated during the layover period, when you’re in a foreign land with co-workers who are virtual strangers. There was a lot of hard partying going on.”

These cases may not make newspaper headlines, but word gets around on who the top predators are, says Teo.

“We have an unofficial list of our own,” she adds. “There’s a Top Five Captains List and a Top Five Supervisors List. We’re very cautious with those who make the list.”

While Teo admits that things have somewhat improved since the implementation of more stringent laws governing sexual harassment at the workplace, the working conditions are still far from desired.

“It’s still normal for a male captain or steward to refer to a stewardess as a ‘crew meal’, meaning that she’s an easy lay,” says Teo. “That’s the first thing they look out for in a flight — a stewardess that they can makan (“eat”) and pass on to their colleagues. They think it’s funny.”

And the worst part? The same sexual predators who were around 10 years ago are still around today.

“The supervisor who raped my friend is still working, even though he has amassed a string of cases over the years,” reveals Teo. “He even got promoted recently. I think it’s because he has strong ties with the human resources department.”

There are reasons why such cases go unreported.

“Usually, we’re advised to lodge a complaint in the office instead of taking matters to the police,” she says. “If the victim does this, however, the office would require both her and her perpetrator to be present for an investigation. What if the perpetrator isn’t penalised for his actions and decides to make her pay for what she’s done?”

It seems that male flight attendants are not left out of the nasty game either. What makes it worse is that the airline companies do not take such matters seriously, says Max Foo.

“I’ve lost count of how many times another male colleague had tried to grope or rub against me,” he says. “I was bemused at first, but now I’m just angry.”

“In class, they teach the girls some basic precautionary measures they can use to avoid salacious advances but, when it comes to the men, we’re usually on our own. Management makes a big joke out of it (homosexuality).”

“At the end of the day, we’re just normal human beings,” adds Foo.

“Most of us just want to make a decent living and go back to our families.”

Seven strange cancer claims explained

What Causes Cancer? 7 Strange Cancer Claims Explained

Bras, deodorant, and mouthwash­—just a few of the everyday products that have been linked to cancer at some point during the past several decades. Preposterous? Not at the time, and new suspects have been added to the list. The following slides reveal the real story behind ordinary household items that have come under scrutiny.

Artificial Sweeteners
The link: Calorie watchers scored a win when diet sodas were introduced in the early 1950s. Then lab studies suggested that the sweetener cyclamate caused bladder cancer in rats, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned its use. Then saccharin, the replacement of choice, was also shown to cause tumors in rats. Although saccharin was never banned, all products containing the sweetener were required to carry a cancer warning on their packaging.

The reality: No evidence has since emerged that either cyclamate, which is used in other countries, or saccharin causes cancer in humans, according to the National Cancer Institute. Although cyclamate is still banned, saccharin was taken off the government's list of possible carcinogens in 2000, the same year in which saccharin products shed the warning label. The sweetener aspartame has come under suspicion, but scientists have found no increased risk of cancer in humans.

Mouthwash
The link: A handful of studies since the late '70s have tied mouthwash that contains ethanol to oral cancer. Investigators theorize that it may make oral tissues more vulnerable to known carcinogens, such as those in cigarettes.

The reality: The evidence against mouthwash is weak, according to the American Dental Association. Studies don't show, for example, that brands with higher alcohol content present a greater risk than those with lesser amounts. Mouthwash is safe when used as directed, says the ADA, which, depending on the product, may mean swishing once or twice daily and not swallowing. People who smoke, have a family history of oral cancer, or have other risk factors may want to choose alcohol-free brands to be on the safe side, the ADA says.

Statins
The link: Could these cholesterol-lowering drugs raise the risk of cancer? A 2007 study inspired this belief when researchers investigating the side effects of certain statins—lovastatin, simvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin, and atorvastatin—found that participants taking high doses were more likely to be diagnosed with various cancers, including those of the breast, colon, and prostate.

The reality: A 2008 review of 15 clinical trials involving statins cast doubt on the initial results; low LDL cholesterol levels, the reviewers found, were associated with cancer, whether or not participants were taking statins, suggesting that cholesterol levels, not the drugs, were to blame. "This study should reassure those taking statins that they are not increasing their risk of cancer by trying to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease," senior author Richard Karas of Boston's Tufts University School of Medicine said in a statement. A separate review of research involving roughly 170,000 participants found no link between statins and cancer.

Cell Phones
The link: In 1993, a man suing the manufacturer of his wife's mobile phone claimed on Larry King Live that the device was responsible for her brain cancer. The broadcast provoked a public outcry, a rash of similar lawsuits, and millions of dollars poured into studying whether radio waves emitted by cell phones could be harmful.

The reality: The largest study to date, published in 2010, could neither confirm nor dismiss a connection between cell phones and cancer. Scientists tracked nearly 13,000 adults for a decade and found a slightly higher rate of one of four cancers—gliomas, a particularly aggressive variety of brain cancer—among frequent cell users. But cell users overall had a lower rate of the cancers than never-users. Participants gave their own estimates of how much time they spent talking, which may have muddied the results. Researchers have now embarked on an even larger study in Europe.

Antiperspirant and Deodorant
The link: A decade ago, an E-mail warning women that using antiperspirant could cause breast cancer went viral. Since then, some research has suggested that aluminum in antiperspirants and preservatives called parabens in both antiperspirants and deodorants mimic the hormone estrogen, which in high amounts can increase a woman's breast cancer risk.

The reality: There is no evidence that antiperspirants or deodorants cause cancer. Although a 2004 study heightened concern when researchers found parabens in breast cancer tissue samples, suggesting the chemicals may have caused the tumors, the investigators did not check for the presence of parabens in healthy tissue. Evidence suggests that 99 percent of us are exposed to parabens from numerous sources, including various cosmetics and foods, according to the American Cancer Society. Little evidence indicates they may be harmful. The organization says more study is needed to be certain that there is no risk. A 2002 study of hundreds of women with and without breast cancer, found no sign the antiperspirants or deodorants upped cancer risk.

Bras
The link: Women got a shock in 1995 when "Dressed to Kill," written by a husband and wife team of medical anthropologists, alleged that those who regularly wore bras had a much higher risk of cancer than women who didn't wear them. They theorized that bras promote the buildup of cancer-causing toxins in the breast.

The reality: Experts stress that a link between bras and breast cancer has never been proven. Considerable evidence points to other variables affecting a woman's risk of breast cancer, such as weight, age, and family history. Women who don't wear bras tend to weigh less or have less dense breast tissue, both of which reduce breast cancer risk. Those factors alone, according to the American Cancer Society, "would probably contribute to any perceived difference in risk."

Hair Dye
The link: In 2008 researchers from the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) revived concern of a hair dye-cancer connection after finding a pattern of bladder cancer in male hairdressers and barbers. They found too little evidence to say whether people who used the products every so often at home were also at risk.

The reality: The IARC finding was based on studies conducted at different times, so any increased risk could result from heavy exposure to chemicals that were discontinued decades ago after scientists discovered they caused cancer in rodents. It's unclear whether the chemicals used in current dyes cause cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Most evidence, however, does not support a link.

10 things your skin says about your health

If skin were merely a sausage casing for the rest of you, it wouldn't be nearly so useful. An organ itself (your body's largest in terms of both weight and surface area), skin protects against invasive bacteria, regulates body temperature, and picks up information from the stimulation of touch, pressure, pain, heat, and cold. Little wonder, then, that when there's something wrong with you on the inside, your skin sometimes sends up the first warning flare.

18 Things Your Feet Say About Your Health

"Diabetes, for example, is generally a silent disease, but it can lead to distinct changes to the skin. So the skin may in fact be the first indicator of what's happening," notes dermatologist Amy Newburger, MD, of Scarsdale, New York, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology.

Here's the skinny on ten dermatologic oddities worth watching for in yourself or someone you love.

Red flag: Yellowish skin, orange palms and soles

What it means: The cartoonish skin hues of carotenemia can be the unfunny result of an underactive thyroid gland -- hypothyroidism -- which causes increased levels of beta-carotene in the blood. Beta-carotene is an antioxidant, found in fruits and vegetables, that normally gets processed by the thyroid. When there's a thyroid problem, the gland doesn't metabolize the vitamins as quickly, so beta-carotene accumulates. You can also get Technicolor skin due to beta-carotene buildup thanks to a diet heavy on carrots, carrot juice, sweet potatoes, and squash.

More clues: The skin of someone with hypothyroidism also tends to be dry and cold, and sometimes more pale than yellowed. Feeling tired, sluggish, weak, or achy are the main symptoms, along with possible unexplained weight gain. Women over 50 most often develop hypothyroidism.

What to do: Carotenemia caused by a skewed diet isn't serious and resolves itself when a broader range of foods is consumed. Hypothyroidism, however, is a medical condition that can lead to such complications as heart problems, so a combination of skin changes plus fatigue warrants attention from a doctor.

Red flag: Breaking out in hives in the sun

What it means: Being truly allergic to the sun is pretty rare (although this kind of immune system response can happen in some people). A more likely explanation for going outside on a sunny day and coming back with an itchy rash that looks like hives or eczema is having taken a photosensitizing drug. A chemical in the medication causes changes that increase the person's sensitivity to light.

"It's common in the Northeast to have no problem all winter long, and as soon as the weather gets nice and folks are outside less bundled up, the rash appears," says Newburger.

More clues: The rash is limited to sun-exposed areas, including the forearms, the neck, and, less commonly, the face. It can feel worse and last longer than a sunburn. It doesn't matter whether you're fair-skinned or dark-skinned; anyone can have a photoreaction. One of the most common drug culprits: thiazide diuretics (Hydrodiuril, Dyazide), which are a first-line treatment for hypertension. Other meds that can produce this effect include antihistamines, tetracycline, the antiaging and antiacne drug tretinoin, and tricyclic antidepressants. Two different people can react quite differently to the same drug. Or you may have no reaction one time but a severe reaction later.

What to do: Check the labels of your prescription medications. Look for phrases such as "May cause chemical photosensitivity." Use a high-SPF sunscreen or sunblock but know that this may not prevent the rash; the best advice is to wear sunglasses and a broad-rimmed hat, cover the skin, and limit sun exposure. Tell your doctor, too; a switch in medicines may prevent further rashes.

Red flag: Long dark lines in the palm

What it means: A palm-reading mystic might have her own interpretation, but to a physician, a deepening of the pigment in the creases of the palms or soles is a symptom of adrenal insufficiency, an endocrine disorder. Also known as Addison's disease, the name comes from its discoverer, physician Thomas Addison. Its two most famous victims include President John F. Kennedy and -- it's thought -- the writer Jane Austen.

More clues: Hyperpigmentation may also be visible around other skin folds, scars, lips, and pressure points (knees, knuckles). Addison's sufferers have low blood pressure, which falls further when the person stands. Salt loss can lead to a craving for salty food. The disease affects men and women equally but is found most commonly between ages 30 and 50.

What to do: It's important to mention this visible symptom to a doctor, as skin changes may be the first symptoms seen before an acute attack (pain, vomiting, dehydration, and loss of consciousness, a cascade known as an Addisonian crisis). Lab tests to measure cortisol (which is produced by the adrenal gland) provide a diagnosis.

Red flag: Large, dusky blue leg veins

What it means: Some of your veins are no longer working properly when you spy ropy, blue-to-purple lines snaking up your legs. Venous disease -- a.k.a. varicose veins -- can be a mere cosmetic annoyance or can cause pain, cramping, and difficulty walking. Veins rely on one-way valves, like shutters, to keep blood circulating; when they stop working, blood leaks back into the vein and pools there.

More clues: Varicose veins are sometimes mistaken for spider veins, a weblike network of smaller blue or red veins closer to the skin's surface. Varicose veins tend to be larger, darker, and sometimes raised, with a twisted appearance. (The name comes from the Latin varix, or "twisted.") Half of all people over age 50 have varicose veins, especially women. They often first appear in pregnancy.

What to do: Exercise, compression stockings, and avoiding constricting postures (like crossing your legs when seated) can help ease discomfort, but they won't make varicose veins disappear. Not all faulty veins cause problems. However, if the veins cause pain or become warm and tender to the touch, tell your doctor. Severe venous insufficiency can lead to dangerous blood clots. Treatments with good success rates include sclerotherapy (injecting a solution to shut the vein) and surgery -- also options if you just can't bear how your legs look at the beach.

Red flag: Brownish spots on the shins

What it means: The fronts of the legs along the shins tend to bang and bump into things a lot. For someone with diabetes, the damage to the capillaries and small blood vessels that are characteristic of the disease will cause them to leak when traumatized, leading to brown discoloration known as diabetic dermopathy.

More clues: The brownish patches may also be rough, almost scaly (although they don't open up), and tend to form ovals or circles. They don't hurt. Another common skin change of diabetes to look for: An open, unhealed sore on the foot. Diabetics lose the perception of pain, temperature, and touch on their feet, making them unlikely to notice common foot blisters -- which then go untreated and may become infected.

What to do: There's no health danger from diabetic dermopathy, and no need for treatment. But if someone who hasn't been diagnosed with diabetes shows these signs, it's worth checking for other signs of diabetes, such as thirst, excessive urination, tiredness, or blurry vision.

Red flag: Persistent rash that you want to scratch raw

What it means: Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) -- clusters of small, ferociously itchy blisters that show up repeatedly in the forearms near the elbows, the knees, the buttocks, the back, or the face or scalp -- are a hallmark of celiac disease, or an allergy to gluten. As many as one in four people with celiac disease have DH.

More clues: The rash appears on both sides of the body. Itching and burning are so intense you can hardly quit scratching. People with DH don't usually have the digestive symptoms of celiac disease, but they're intolerant of gluten just the same. DH often shows up between ages 30 and 40, and most often in people of northern European heritage.

What to do: Report the rashes to your regular doctor or a doctor who specializes in skin disorders to evaluate and rule out other causes. Blood tests and a biopsy of tissue from the small intestine are used to diagnose DH. A gluten-free diet for life is usually advised to keep symptoms at bay; this includes banishing foods, beverages, and medications that contain wheat, barley, rye, and sometimes oats. Drugs may help control the rashes.

Red flag: Purple stains or splotches

What it means: What looks a bit like a bruise, is often mistaken for a bruise, but tends to hang around longer because it's not exactly a bruise? Purpura (from the Latin for "purple"), or leaking blood vessels under the skin. It has several possible causes, ranging from a bleeding disorder to scurvy (vitamin C deficiency). But in adults over age 65, in whom it's common, the main explanation is thin skin, often made even more fragile by years of sun damage and weakened blood vessels. Then the condition is known by the unfortunate name of senile purpura.

"A substantial excessive intake of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, vitamin E, or ginkgo biloba, which older adults often take to boost memory, can worsen the condition," says dermatoligst Newburger. So can blood thinners, such as coumadin, alcohol, and steroids.

More clues: A classic bruise tends to turn black and blue following an injury. With purpura, in contrast, there doesn't need to be any trauma; the discoloration starts as red and turns purple, persisting longer than a bruise before fading or remaining brownish. The purple skin doesn't blanch (fade or lose color) when you press it. Purpura can cover large patches of skin or show up as small purple speckles called petechiae. No matter what the size, the purple areas are most common on the forearms, legs, and backs of the hands.

What to do: Extensive or persistent bruises should always be evaluated by a doctor, as should someone who seems to bruise easily. It's important to rule out underlying causes such as a bleeding disorder.

Red flag: Intense itchiness without rash

What it means: Feeling itchy in more than one specific spot can have many causes, but when there's no accompanying visible skin change, it may be pruritis, one of the first symptoms of lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system). In fact, it's known as the "Hodgkin itch" (the two main types of lymphoma being Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma).

More clues: The itchiness is more intense than that caused by ordinary dry skin. It can be felt generally or, most commonly, in the lower legs. Less often, the skin also looks reddish and inflamed. Another common symptom of both Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, collarbone, or groin. (Note that lymph nodes can swell because of common infections as well.)

What to do: Report persistent, intense itching to your doctor.

Red flag: Pallor, especially with blue-tinged nails

What it means: Severe anemia, a blood disorder, can show up as pasty, paler-than-usual skin on the face and palms. Anemia can be the result of iron deficiency, chronic blood loss from bowel disease, or ulcer disease, among other reasons. Iron-deficient anemia is sometimes seen in people over age 70, who may no longer prepare nutritious meals or have interest in eating them because of depression or other health problems.

More clues: Unlike merely having a pale complexion, the pallor of anemia tends to affect the usually-reddish tissues of the mouth, gums, and lips, too. Look for nail beds to be very pale, almost bluish. Other symptoms include being quick to tire, headaches, dizziness, and shortness of breath.

What to do: Consult a nutritionist or doctor. Over-the-counter or prescription iron supplements usually correct anemia caused by a nutritional deficiency. It helps to eat more iron-rich foods (red meat, egg yolks, dark leafy green vegetables, dried fruit), especially in tandem with vitamin C (as in orange juice) for best iron absorption. Cooking in an iron skillet adds iron, too.

Red flag: Tingling skin followed by a rash on only one side of the face or body

What it means: An often painful condition called (herpes zoster) announces itself in this distinctive way. Shingles is caused by the same virus that gives people chicken pox. In eight out of ten people who get chicken pox, the virus retreats to the body's sensory nerves and stays there. But stress, infection, certain medications (such as those used in chemotherapy and after transplants), or an aging immune system can reactivate the virus years later, producing shingles.

More clues: A burning sensation and sensitivity to touch often precede the shingles rash by days or weeks. (Or, in some lucky people, the pain may be mild.) The rash itself first looks like raised red bumps, not unlike chicken pox, appearing in a band or strip on the trunk, legs, face, neck -- but only on the left or the right side. Within a few days, the bumps turn into fluid-filled pustules, which crust over a week to ten days later.

What to do: See a doctor as soon as you feel the pain, if you suspect you're in a high-risk group. Starting antiviral medication within 72 hours of the rash's appearance can reduce the severity of the disease and lower your odds of developing a complication called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). In PHN, the searing pain of shingles can continue for weeks, months, or even years. People older than age 70 are most likely to develop PHN, but anyone can.

And if the idea of fluid-filled pustules makes you hope you never get shingles, ask your doctor about the newish (2006) shingles vaccine, which the CDC recommends for all adults over age 60.

Secrets of a former credit card thief

Card theft is cheap, easy and you could be next.

We've all heard the standard tips about preventing identity theft and credit card fraud. But what would a real identity thief tell you if he had the chance? Dan DeFelippi, who was convicted of credit card fraud and ID theft in 2004, says simply this: You can't be too careful.

DeFelippi, 29, mostly made fake credit cards with real credit card information he bought online. "I would make fake IDs to go with them, and then I'd buy laptops or other expensive items in the store and sell them on eBay," he says. DeFelippi was also involved in several other kinds of scams, including phishing schemes that exploited AOL and PayPal customers. Committing credit card fraud is still "ridiculously easy to do," he says. "Anyone with a computer and $100 could start making money tomorrow."

After his conviction, DeFelippi faced eight years in prison, but under a plea deal he agreed to community service and to pay back more than $200,000 in restitution. He also worked for the U.S. Secret Service, helping to infiltrate the online underground and training agents in the latest fraud techniques. His help led to the arrests of five to 15 people over two years. Today, he's a Web developer at a graphic design company in Rochester, N.Y. He agreed to take an hour with CreditCards.com to share his story and his top tips on how to protect yourself.

CreditCards.com: How did you get started?

Dan DeFilippi: When I was in middle school and high school, I was into what I would call innocent hacking. I wasn't trying to be malicious or make money. I was just interested to see what I could do. In college, I started selling fake IDs to make a little extra money. I was pretty active in online chat rooms where people would talk about this stuff, and I began to realize there was a whole world of credit card fraud where I could make a lot of money with very little effort. From there, it was just a huge downward spiral.

CreditCards.com: You said you bought credit card data online. Tell me about that.

DeFilippi: Every credit card has magnetic stripe on the back with data on it. There are people out there who hack into computers where that data is being stored. There are also people like waitresses and waiters with handheld skimmers who steal the data that way. Then they sell the data online. I'd pay $10 to $50 for the information from one card. Then I'd use an encoder to put that data on a fake card, go into a store and purchase stuff.

CreditCards.com: Do identity thieves like some credit cards better than others?

DeFilippi: Well, a lot of American Express cards have no set limit, so you'd be able to buy a lot more. However, the downside is that a lot of merchants require more security for American Express than for other cards. They may ask you to enter the four-digit code on the front of the card or your ZIP code. That information usually isn't in the magnetic stripe information. So if a card is skimmed, if someone has its magnetic stripe information, they would still need the number on the front or your ZIP code to commit fraud.

[See the Top 5 Tricks of Identity Thieves]

CreditCards.com: What about debit cards?

DeFilippi: I always recommend against them. With debit cards, it's your real money in your bank account you're playing with. So if someone gets your debit card information and uses it, your cash is gone until you fill out a lot of paperwork and persuade the bank to give it back to you. Credit cards are much better at protecting you against fraud. And if you're worried about debt, you can always pay them off every month.

CreditCards.com: What's your No. 1 tip on how consumers can protect themselves?

DeFilippi: You've probably heard this before, but the most important thing really is to watch your accounts. And I don't mean just checking your statement once a month. If you're only checking your statement once a month, someone can start using your card at the beginning of the billing cycle, and they can do a lot of damage before you catch it. You're talking thousands of dollars, and it will be a lot harder to catch them and dispute it. I use Mint.com, which is a free aggregation service that allows you to put all your accounts on there and monitor everything at once. I check that every day. It's also a good idea to check your credit report at least twice a year to make sure no one has stolen your identity.

CreditCards.com: Is online shopping safe?

DeFilippi: You've got to be careful. It is really easy to create a fake online store or to create a store that sells stuff, but its real purpose is to collect credit card information. I'd try to stick to reputable sites or at least to sites that have reviews. A lot of times they'll create these stores that sell things that are widely searched for at prices that are incredibly low. If a deal is way too good to be true, it's probably a scam and they just want your information. The more information a website asks for, the more you need to be certain that this is information they really need and it's a legitimate site. Also, don't buy anything from somebody e-mailing you, no matter how good the offer sounds. If a company is sending you an ad through e-mail and you've never heard of the company, don't buy anything from them.

CreditCards.com: How did your phishing scams work?

DeFilippi: People are much savvier now. Back when I started, it wasn't that common. I was getting thousands and thousands of responses from single mailings. The first one I did, I targeted AOL users, because I thought they would be less computer literate and more likely to fall for my scams. We said, "Your credit card information has expired. Come to this site and update your information or your account will be closed." I did something similar with PayPal. I sent an e-mail that said, "Someone has accessed your account. We've locked your account. Please click here to access your account." We'd link them to a fake website and they'd give us their PayPal log-in information. Then we'd say, "For security purposes we've removed your account information. Please re-enter it."

[See Phishing Lures: How to Avoid Them]

CreditCards.com: Where did you get the e-mail addresses for your phishing schemes?

DeFilippi: There's software that allows you to harvest them from anyone who has posted their e-mail addresses online, so don't ever put your e-mail address on a website. If I was targeting a specific group, I'd try to find e-mails for that group. For the PayPal scam, I was trying to find people around my age or younger, so I targeted college and universities. I looked for ones in Massachusetts because I could make fake IDs from Massachusetts. As part of the scam, I'd get their date of birth, address, Social Security number and driver's license number. Then I could make a fake ID that had all accurate information on it. The only thing that wouldn't be real would be my picture. It's kind of scary how much information I could get.

CreditCards.com: What other mistakes do consumers make on the Web?

DeFilippi: When you're using your computer online, it's sending data back and forth between your computer and website. If someone gains access to that connection -- it's called sniffing -- they can capture the data between you and the website you're communicating with. That's the reason it's so important to access secure websites if you're putting in any sensitive data, so look for "https" in the Web address. A more recent issue is the free wireless offered all over the place. If you're using an open Wi-Fi connection, you should pretty much have the expectation that there is no security.

[See What Your Facebook Profile May Be Telling ID Thieves]

CreditCards.com: What steps do you take to protect your own data online?

DeFilippi: All financial services companies have two-factor authentication. So you typically have to put in a password plus something else. A lot of banks use questions, but that can actually give you a false sense of security because you can find out a lot of information about people online. So maybe this is extreme, but for those questions, I make up stuff. I don't put in my real information. For example, a common question is: "What city were you married in?" Well, I'm not married, but I'll answer that question so there's no way anyone could possibly know the answer. I try to make sure at least one of the questions has a made-up answer.

CreditCards.com: What's your advice on using ATMs?

DeFilippi: ATM skimming is the big thing right now because it's cash, and cash is king. Basically, that's where someone puts a card reader on the ATM machine, captures your PIN, then goes and drains your bank account. The skimmer device goes over the card slot, and it's designed to look like part of the ATM. Some of the equipment now is very good and it's hard to tell the difference between that and a real machine. So what you need to do is try to use the same ATM every time, and watch out for anything on the machine that looks out of the ordinary, especially something stuck on the front where you put your card in. Generally, I like to use ATM machines at banks rather than convenience stores or a bar or club. There have been incidents where thieves installed their own ATM machines in places with skimmers inside them. That's much less likely to happen at a bank.

CreditCards.com: Is there more the banking industry could do to protect us?

DeFilippi: The biggest thing they could do is get away from using magnetic stripes. They aren't that secure and anyone can get a magnetic stripe reader (a skimmer) for $5 to $10. The smart chips that are widely used in Europe and internationally are much more secure and harder to hack. They offer near 100 percent protection against fraud, at least from a skimming point of view, and they also require a PIN. But the credit card companies have done the math. They think people will use their credit cards less often if they had to put in a PIN. It might eliminate a lot of the fraud, but there would be less card use and they would end up losing money. So they're actually doing just the opposite, moving to a system where you can just have your credit card in your pocket -- you don't even have to swipe it to use it. The problem is, that's very unsecure. Anyone with equipment can sit out in their car and pick that up.

CreditCards.com: How did you end up getting caught?

DeFilippi: I went to Best Buy with a guy I was working with locally to buy a laptop, and the manager there was pretty well trained. When he swiped the card, he asked for my friend's ID. Most stores don't ask for ID. My friend gave him his fake driver's license, but then when the manager swiped the credit card, it came up "Call for authorization." A call for authorization, if you're trying to commit credit card fraud, is really bad; it means the credit card company has seen suspicious activity. The manager said he needed to go to the front desk to finish processing the order. As soon as he left, we walked as quickly as possible to the exit and left the store. The problem was, my friend had given the manager his fake ID with his picture. They ran it on the news and caught him. He told them the whole story, so they ended up catching me, too. I really was better off getting caught when I did. I was lucky I didn't go to prison. Under the guidelines now, I'd probably have to serve at least two years. So anything I can do to help people now, to help compensate for what I've done, I'm trying to do.

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Facebook profiles can attract ID thieves

Posting some facts seems harmless, but crooks can drain your bank account with them. How to protect yourself

You may think you're revealing precious little when you tell your Facebook friends that you're dressing your pooch, Puddles, in your favorite color, red, for brunch at Grandma's on Sunday. But you've actually just opened a Pandora's box of risks.

The information consumers willingly, and often unwittingly, post on social-media websites can be a gold mine for fraudsters looking to steal everything from your flat-screen TV to your identity.

What's more, tidbits like your birth date, birthplace and the last school you attended are typically the challenge questions posed by bank websites and online retailers to verify your identity.

"Despite all the awareness that people have about identity fraud and privacy on social networks, there is a disconnect between [that and what they are] disclosing in online space and social environments," said Thomas Oscherwitz, chief privacy officer for ID Analytics, a San Diego-based consumer risk management firm.

More than 24 million Americans 18 years old and older are still leaving their social-network profiles mostly public, meaning they aren't activating privacy controls that limit who can see their information online, according to a Harris Interactive survey conducted in October for ID Analytics.

The survey also found that nearly 70 million U.S. adults on social-networking sites include their birthplace — one of the most common security questions asked by financial institutions — on their profiles.

"The information people are disclosing is not the entire piece of the puzzle but it's certainly helpful," Oscherwitz said. Thieves steal identities in pieces, he said, and layer them on each other for a clearer picture.

Say you post on a social-media site that you're at a tanning salon ahead of your week-long trip to the Bahamas the day after your birthday. You're telling potential burglars that not only are you away from home for an hour or so, but beginning Tuesday, your home likely will be empty for seven days.

"Even listing daily activities can let strangers know your routine and put you at risk," said Gail Cunningham, spokeswoman for the National Foundation of Credit Counseling.

Too much information can hurt you in other ways. John Sileo, a Denver-based identify-theft expert, said your online chatter could equip an ex-spouse with ammunition for a court challenge. Future or current employers could have a problem with information about your personal life that they deem inappropriate for a member of their staff, he said.

You also could be furnishing a would-be stalker with information about your whereabouts. "We are giving people the little pieces of our trust or access to our trust that allows them to get bigger things out of us," said Sileo, founder of the ThinkLikeaSpy.com newsletter.

Tips to Stay Safe

Here's some advice from Sileo, who wrote the "Facebook Safety Survival Guide," about protecting online privacy on all social-networking sites:

• Never post your exact date and place of birth. It's invaluable information to identity thieves, particularly when the two are bundled together.

• Never post your address, phone number or email address. This is plum information to scammers and marketers who are looking for nuggets of your identity.

• Control who can see your personal information. Many social-networking sites have privacy features, but they change often. Know what they are, stay on top of them and restrict your page to your real friends, not friends of friends or someone you met in a bar.

• Limit information about your activities. If you must brag about a trip or a fabulous party, do it after the fact.

• Remember that what you post is public and permanent. Don't put up embarrassing photos that you wouldn't show your grandmother. Don't complain about your job or your boss. Don't say something to or about someone that you wouldn't say to his face. Don't threaten others.

• Know the four types of Facebook users: friends, outsiders, businesses and enemies.

• You should know exactly who wants to be your friend or is asking you to link into their network. Some people will befriend your friends to get to you or your company.

• Be wary of seemingly harmless quizzes. When someone invites you to take a survey, say, "10 Things Others Don't Know About You" or "My Favorite Things," it may be designed to harvest your data. The name of the street you grew up on or your favorite vacation spot could be clues to your passwords.

• Before you share any information anywhere online about yourself or your workplace, ask this question: What would the consequences be if this information fell into the hands of my boss, competitor or people who don't like me?

Foods that can help you sleep better

10 Foods That Can Help You Sleep

Trying to get more shut-eye? Take a look at your diet. Eating the right foods in the hours before you hit the hay may help you fall asleep faster, say experts, and even improve the quality of your sleep. Keep reading for your get-sleepy grocery list, and remember to stop noshing two hours before bedtime to give your body enough time to properly digest.
Almonds

“Almonds are a winner,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, and author of the bestselling book From Fatigued to Fantastic! “They contain magnesium which promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation,” he says. “And they have the added benefit of supplying proteins that can help maintain a stable blood sugar level while sleeping, and help promote sleep by switching you from your alert adrenaline cycle to your rest-and-digest cycle.” Try this bedtime snack: Have a tablespoon of almond butter or a 1-ounce portion of almonds to help your body relax.
Tea

Yes, avoiding all caffeine in the evening hours is key, but some decaf varieties can help get you into sleep mode, says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Chamomile tea is a very helpful and safe sleep aid,” he says, adding that green tea is another good choice. “Green tea contains theanine, which helps promote sleep. Just be sure you get a decaf green tea if drinking it at bedtime.” Experts recommend trying a 1-cup serving of the hot stuff.
Miso Soup

You love to order this comforting, broth-based soup in Japanese restaurants, but keeping a few 8-ounce packs of instant miso soup at home may be key when you’re having trouble falling asleep, says Stella Metsovas, CN, a nutritionist in Laguna Beach, California. Here’s why: Miso contains amino acids that may boost the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that can help induce the yawns. Bonus: Research shows that warm liquids like soup and tea may also relieve cold symptoms, helping you sleep better when you're feeling under the weather. \
Banana

Worried about falling asleep tonight? Have a banana before bed, says Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, an internist and the author of Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the 7 Lies Women Tell Themselves. “Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which help to relax overstressed muscles. They also contain tryptophan, which convert to serotonin and melatonin, the brain’s key calming hormones." Try this tasty and incredibly simple bedtime smoothie: Blend one banana with one cup of milk or soy milk (and ice, if desired). Pour and enjoy!
Dairy

Yogurt, milk and cheese do contain tryptophan, notes Dr. Dalton-Smith, but also have a surprising sleep-inducing nutrient: “Calcium is effective in stress reduction and stabilization of nerve fibers, including those in the brain." That means a serving of your favorite Greek yogurt before bed can not only help you sleep, but also help you stop worrying about the weird thing your boss said earlier at work.
Oatmeal

You eat it for breakfast, but could a bowl of warm oatmeal help you get more rest? Yes, says Stephan Dorlandt, a clinical nutritionist based in Southern California. “Think about it,” he says. “Oatmeal is warm,soft, soothing, easy to prepare, inexpensive and nourishing. It’s rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and potassium—the who's who of nutrients known to support sleep.” But go easy on the sweeteners; too much sugar before bed can have an anti-calming effect. Instead, consider topping your bowl with fruit, like bananas
Hard-Cooked Egg

If you have trouble staying asleep at night, it may be because you didn’t eat a pre-bedtime snack high in protein, or perhaps your snack was too high in simple, high-sugar carbohydrates, like cake and candy. “The problem with simple carbs is that they can put you on a ‘sugar roller coaster’ and drop your blood sugar while you're sleeping, causing you to wake at 2 or 3 in the morning,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. A better bet? “Eat an egg, cheese, nuts or other protein-rich snack instead,” he says, “so you can not only fall asleep, but stay asleep.
Edamame

Craving a salty snack before bed? Turn to lightly salted edamame, says Dr. Dalton-Smith—especially if you’re dealing with menopause-related symptoms. “The natural estrogen-like compounds found in soy-based products can be very beneficial in controlling those nighttime hot flashes that can disturb your sleep,” she says. If it’s crackers and dip you’re craving, try making this easy edamame recipe: In a food processor, blend together 2 cups of shelled, cooked edamame with 1 tsp salt, a drizzle of olive oil and 1 clove garlic (optional) until smooth.
Cherries

Oddly, a glass of cherry juice may be an effective way to fall asleep faster, says a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and University of Rochester. In their study, they found that cherries, particularly tart cherries, naturally boosted the body’s supply of melatonin, which helped people with insomnia. While the jury is still out on how much juice or how many cherries are needed to make you sleepy, experts say sipping a glass of cherry juice (available at most natural foods stores) or having a serving of fresh, frozen or dried cherries before bedtime couldn’t hurt.

Cereal
There’s no need to feel guilty about having a small bowl of cereal before bed, especially if it’s a low-sugar, whole-grain cereal. Not only is it a healthy snack (make sure you top it with milk to give your body the protein it needs), but it may also help you snooze. “Complex carbohydrate–rich foods increase the availability of tryptophan in the bloodstream, increasing the sleep-inducing effects,” says Dr. Dalton-Smith. Bonus: Top your bowl with a sprinkling of dried cherries (see above) for extra help catching your zzz's.

Best and worst brands of bottled water

Best and worst bottled water brands

How much do you know about the bottled water you drink? Not nearly enough, according to a new report released today from Environmental Working Group (EWG). "Bottled water companies try hard to hide information you might find troubling," says Jane Houlihan, senior vice president of research for the Washington D.C.-based research and advocacy group.
EWG analyzed the labels of 173 unique bottled water products and company websites to determine if companies disclose information on where water comes from, how or if their water is treated, and whether the results of purity testing are revealed. The nonprofit also looked at how effective (and advanced) any water treatment methods are. Researchers followed up by calling dozens of bottled water companies to find out which ones willingly tell consumers what's in their bottles.

The Environmental Protection Agency says on its website that consumers have the right to know where their water comes from and what's in it so they can "make informed choices that affect the health of themselves and their families." Tap water is regularly tested and consumers can find their local water info online. That's not necessarily the case with bottled water, which is not required to disclose that information to consumers. "Bottled water is a food product and every one of these companies is complying with federal law," says Tom Lauria, of the International Bottled Water Association.
More than half of the bottled water products surveyed failed EWG's transparency test --18 percent didn't say where their water comes from, and another 32 percent did not disclose any information on treatment or purity of water.

Only three brands earned the highest possible marks for disclosing information and using the most advanced treatment methods available - Gerber Pure Purified Water, Nestle Pure Life Purified Water, and Penta Ultra-Purified Water.
On the other end of the spectrum, these six brands got the worst marks in EWG's report because they don't provide consumers with the three basic facts about water on product labels or their company website - Whole Foods Italian Still Mineral Water, Vintage Natural Spring Water, Sahara Premium Drinking Water, O Water Sport Electrolyte Enhanced Purified Drinking Water, Market Basket Natural Spring Water, and Cumby's Spring Water.

How does your bottled water brand stack up? Here's a look at the 10 top-selling* U.S. brands:
1. Pure Life Purified Water (Nestle), EWG grade = B

2. Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = C

3. Aquafina Purified Drinking Water (Pepsi), EWG grade = D

4. Dasani Purified Water (Coca-Cola), EWG grade = D

5. Deer Park Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

6. Ice Mountain Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

7. Ozarka Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

8. Poland Spring Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

9. Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water (Nestle), EWG grade = D

10. Crystal Geyser Natural Alpine Spring Water (CG Roxane), EWG grade = F

Filtered tap water received the best grade (an A) from EWG because if you change your filter regularly, EWG says it is purer than bottled water, plus it saves money (bottled water can cost up to 1,900 times more than what flows from your tap). Drinking tap water also takes less of a toll on the planet. EWG offers plenty of tips for filtering your tap water so that you can drink the healthiest water possible.

What should you do when bottled water is your only option? "While our top choice is filtered tap water, when you do need to choose bottled water, we recommend brands that tell you what's in the water and that use advanced treatment technologies like reverse osmosis and micro-filtration," says Houlihan. Advanced treatment technologies remove pollutants that other methods don't. You should look for bottled water products that tell you where the water is coming from and how pure it is.
Here are the results for all 173 bottled water brands included in the report. You'll find that some less popular brands rank even lower than our list of top-sellers.

The advice to drink filtered tap water can seem confusing when there are often reports about the contaminants found in municipal water supplies. Just last month, for example, EWG announced that cancer causing hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) is in 31 cities' tap water. Houlihan says chromium-6 is as likely to be in your bottled water as it is in your tap water and we need action from the federal government on this. She points out that a reverse osmosis filter can remove the worrisome contaminant. You can guarantee its removal in your home supply, but in many cases you don't know what's in the bottle you're drinking from.